Thursday, January 29, 2009

The message said: Bold what you HAVE done. So here goes...1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars3. Played in a band4. Visited Hawaii5. Watched a meteor shower6. Given more than you can afford to charity7. Been to Disneyland -Disneyworld counts, right??8. Climbed a mountain9. Held a praying mantis10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped12. Visited Paris13. Watched a lightning storm at sea14. Taught yourself an art from scratch15. Adopted a child16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty18. Grown your own vegetables19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France20. Slept on an overnight train21. Had a pillow fight22. Hitch hiked23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill-best time to take them!!24. Built a snow fort25. Held a lamb26. Gone skinny dipping27. Run a Marathon28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice29. Seen a total eclipse30. Watched a sunrise or sunset31. Hit a home run32. Been on a cruise33. Seen Niagara Falls in person34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors35. Seen an Amish community36. Taught yourself a new language37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person39. Gone rock climbing40. Seen Michelangelo’s David41. Sung karaoke42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant44. Visited Africa45. Walked on a beach by moonlight46. Been transported in an ambulance47. Had your portrait painted48. Gone deep sea fishing49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling52. Kissed in the rain53. Played in the mud54. Gone to a drive-in theater55. Been in a movie56. Visited the Great Wall of China57. Started a business58. Taken a martial arts class59. Visited Russia60. Served at a soup kitchen61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies62. Gone whale watching63. Got flowers for no reason64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma65. Gone sky diving66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp67. Bounced a check68. Flown in a helicopter69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial71. Eaten Caviar72. Pieced a quilt73. Stood in Times Square74. Toured the Everglades75. Been fired from a job76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London77. Broken a bone78. Been on a speeding motorcycle79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person80. Published a book81. Visited the Vatican82. Bought a brand new car83. Walked in Jerusalem84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible86. Visited the White House87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating- I caught and cleaned a fish!!88. Had chickenpox89. Saved someone’s life90. Sat on a jury91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club93. Lost a loved one94. Had a baby95. Seen the Alamo in person96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake97. Been involved in a law suit98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee 100. Read an entire book in one day

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

I just read a disturbing post regarding the possible ramifications of the new "lead" law due to be passed February 10th, 2009. Please read and take a few minutes to look at some of the links provided.http://gocksfrocks.blogspot.com/The person posting this makes beautiful handmade clothing that makes me drool :) If the law passes, one of a kind, handmade items will no longer be available for sale. We will all be shopping for our kids at Big Box stores and buying Made in China everything.I could go on about Big Government and becoming a Socialist nation but I will spare you.Be informed, be involved, be smart!!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

I've never been a big fan of thrift stores-they always "felt" icky to me and garage sales are too much of a hit and miss thing.BUT...I went to the Goodwill here last Monday and actually bought stuff. I also dropped off a box and bag of donation so I don't feel too guilty for buying more stuff. I bought 4 CDs for baby and a tie dye t-shirt for her too. All of that for less than 10 dollars. Not bad. My husband just shook his head when he saw the t-shirt. I personally love tie dye and would wear it frequently if I could. He, on the other hand, is not a big fan.

Everyone says I am paranoid for being concerned/thinking little one is behind developmentally in vocabulary. OK..so maybe I do obsess a bit about it. Various sources say an 18 month old should have a vocabulary ranging from 12 to 22 words they say clearly (including mama and dada). Let's see, baby currently says:DadaMamaHi (almost always with kitty)KittyMouthMilkJuiceShoesEyeBallPapaNanaThatNight NightAll of these are not clear but she does make a pretty close approximation. I am trying to NOT be so worried about these types of things but I still am.Now is a good time to put some of those Montessori ideas to work :)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

So, at what age is it appropriate to start "school" type activities? I am thinking I might be rushing things way too much. I want to go ahead and start with identifying objects using flash cards. I love the Montessori philosophy and would love to introduce some of the ideas I am reading about.

I have found quite a few blogs regarding homeschooling in the Montessori tradition. I find myself bookmarking and cutting and pasting so much material. I have printed out pages upon pages of ideas and downloaded quite a bit too. I know little one is not even 1 1/2 yet but I just find it so interesting.

I am hoping we are financially able for me to home school for the first few years of little one's education. Ideally, I would like to keep her at home from Kindergarten until 3rd grade. I'm not sure if that will happen but it is a goal we are striving for. Because of that goal, we (the hubby and I) have also considered moving to a more home school friendly area. I've noticed many of the parks in NC have home school days once a month for science.

We are still hoping to make a move to the northern Tennessee or Western NC area in the next 4 or 5 years. There are alot of ifs and variables but it is a definite possibility.

The picture is my mom reading to the little one the day we got back from our NC vacation.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Yesterday baby said another new word...JUICE!! She is picking up on things pretty quickly now. OH and she can say "up" and knows what it means. She walks up, sticks her arms out and says "UP". She also mimics songs-it is too sweet to hear her. She will sing to herself sometimes and it is so adorable.She is constantly singing "up above" from twinkle, twinkle, little star-I have no idea why she clued in on those words, but she did. Her other song to mimic is the ABC song. Nicole got her a puppy that sings it (cause she liked the one her daughter had) and she will try to mimic it. Funny!!Kids are such fun. It is truly amazing to watch a little one's personality develop and to witness pure learning. I never knew I would love being a mom so much.

My first post of the new year....hmm-what to write. Well I have some goals for the year, not resolutions, goals. Might as well talk about those.So here they are-in no particular order:- Spend more active time with baby- Less TV more music or even silence- PURGE the clutter [massively hard for me-I like stuff:)]- Learn to sew ruffles on jeans and skirts- establish a bedtime routine for baby R- stick to bedtime routine- try out the freezer cooking method- Have at least 5 meals in the freezer at ALL times- More fruits and veggies for me and the hubby- there are tons more but I will work on these first